Company misuses information for 50 million Facebook usersFox 26 Houston

Fox 26 News Brief for March 19, 2018Fox 26 Houston

Take it to Akin helps viewer solve shower issueFox 26 Houston

Male birth control pill shows promise in studyFox 26 Houston

Family pleas for help finding man's killer 5 years laterFox 26 Houston

Trial begins in murder-for-hire caseFox 26 Houston

5 p.m. Mar. 19 FOXRAD ForecastFox 26 Houston

HPD investigators and family make plea for informationHouston Police Department

Former DOJ Official: Explosions May Be LinkedAssociated Press

"The key message is we want people to understand seriously the confusion of food intolerance to food allergies. With allergies, food is a trigger that tells the immune system to react. This impacts the respiratory, skin, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. This Walk creates the opportunity for awareness," said Lade.

Lade said Houston is one of the top fundraising chapters across the country. Houston walkers raised $700,000 over the last four years.

Miller first discovered her son was allergic to nuts and peanuts when he was 18 months old.

The episode occurred when he only placed a cashew in his mouth with a baby-sitter one evening. Though he started coughing, they attributed it to the cold he was fighting at the time.

Miller and her husband shortly came home by chance.

"When we got there, I gave him Albuteral and Benadryl. We accidentally did the right thing said the doctors. I always suspected he had a food allergy from when he was a baby. We tested him and now it's just a lifestyle for us," Miller said.

Keeping Luke, now an 8- year-old third-grader at Travis Elementary School, away from cross-contaminated products is part of their food routine in and out of the school, she said.

"He can manage it himself. I feel very lucky and confident with the nurses. He doesn't seem to have a problem with contact," Miller said.

According to FAAN, one American in 25 has some type of food allergy and one in 17 with food allergies is under the age three. There is no cure for food allergies.

Strict avoidance of food allergens and early recognition and management of allergic reactions are vital measures to prevent serious health consequences. Even trace amounts of a food allergen can cause a reaction.

Eileen Ansel Conery, public relations volunteer with FAAN, first saw the signs of food allergies in her daughter, Claire, at 13 months. She said education is vital to determining treatment and prevention.

The discovery of how severe the allergies were a step-by-step process said Conery.

"We couldn't take any risks," Conery said. "It was shocking how little symptoms could become dramatic reactions. We had our first experience with anaphylaxis when she was three. She's a Level 6 on the testing scale, which is as high as it can be."

Conery tested Ian, her son, when he was 6 years old after the boy mentioned an itchy throat. Now Ian, age 9, ranges between levels 2 and 3.

"There are no issues managing my kids' diet" Conery said. "We eat healthier and read all the labels. We have Epi pens and Benadryl everywhere. The only perfect environment is our home. The key is educating everyone what food allergies are and why we have to be careful in managing it."

An Epi pen is an auto-injector that is a medical device used to deliver a measured dose of epinephrine, which is used for the treatment of acute allergic reactions.